Monday, April 14, 2008

Guest at a luncheon referring to the co-host: He is a prince.Me: Yes, he is very nice.Guest: No, I mean he is really a Prince.Me: Oh.

It's election time in Italy. Voting started yesterday and ends today. On Saturday I went with G. and his girlfriend to a luncheon for a young candidate for one of seats. Of course I could not find the place at the first. Finally I saw G outside what looked like a museum to me. It was the Palazza Colonna. I understand the Colonna family is one of the oldest in Rome. The apartment was in the Palazzo. I can't even imagine what the rents are like. ha Anyway the food was excellent. Almost everyone there spoke fluent English but were instructed to only speak Italian to me.

One thing I think is interesting is they stop polling here two weeks before the election. The last poll had Berlusconi leading. It's great they do not say how the votes went yesterday. I can't imagine that happening in the States where news organizations battle to say who won first, even at the risk of getting it wrong while the polls are still open. No one should announce any results until the polls are closed in that state.

I spoke to my sister for the first time since moving here. I was talking to her about how the landlord wants us to meet to get to know each other. She told that when she and one of her college roommates rented their apartment in Brooklyn, the landlord wanted to meet both sets of parents. Our parents had to drive in from the 'burbs.

My sister said she didn't think it was a weird request because the landlord was from the Caribbean. Of course they would want to meet our parents. It's nice all the credit/paperwork was in order but so what? My siblings and I were born in the States and we do have a very American world view when it comes to things like this. Our parents were glad the landlords wanted to meet and they were happy to meet them as well.

I guess it does make sense. My landlord can't run a credit check on me. How does she know I'm not some crazy person who is going to ruin this apartment she has had in the family for years? I'm glad it was sunny today. The contractors were supposed to lay the floors in the apartment. Something they could not do if it was raining. Tomorrow I move to G.'s place. I will miss living three blocks from the Borghese Park but looking forward to being in the Historic Center.

Sounds like despite some bumps here and there, on the whole, your move is going well. I'm sure it is quite a relief to be getting down and enjoying some good writing time as well. Am looking forward to blog entries regarding the historic centre.

Huh, I had almost the same conversation with someone when I lived in Rome years ago. My friend kept saying, "He's a prince!" But I couldn't tell if she meant a prince of a guy or a real prince. He gave me a ride home...maybe I could've been a principessa by now if I had been less shy.